Draft and buffing mechanism.



J. R. CARDWELL.

DRAFTAND BUFFING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE], 1915.

Patented May 9.1916.

ma ns a. oannwnnn, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, assienon 'IQ UNION comranv, a conronarron or ILLINOIS.

nnnr'r, GEAR DRAFT AND BUFFING MECHANISM.

Specification of Iietters Patent.

Patented May a, rare.

Application filed June 7, 1915. Serial No. 32,604.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, James R. CARDWELL,

of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft and Bufing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, and which are illustrated-in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof. v

The invention relates to mechanism for transmitting draft and buffing stressesto the framework of a car, and particularly to devices of this character in which a supplemental buffing element is present.

The objects of the invention are to simplify and increase the efficiency of such structures, and to provide holding means for the supplemental buffing element.

In the-drawings illustrating an embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 shows a detail plan view of a portion of the framework of a car, with the improved device applied thereto, some portions being broken away;

an Fig, 2 is a longitudinal vertical section ta en inside of one of the car sills, the draft lugs associated with such sill not being shown.

The center or draft sills of a car are shown at 10, 11, and to each of such sills is affixed a draft lug 12 and a bufling lug 13. The shank of a coupler is represented at 14, and as being provided with an extension or yoke 15 of the ordinary loop type. The draft gear or cushioning device is; inolosed within the yoke 15, and may be ofiany preferred construction, there being shown the well-known Cardwell friction gear comprising a pair of followers 16, 17, having a box or casing form, and inclosing between them friction elements, shown mainly in dotted lines and generally designated by the numeral 18, and a transverse rod 19 extending through the sills and carrying upon its ends springs 20, 21.

The supplemental bufiing mechanism is.

shown as of the same construction, its followers being designated by the numerals 22, 23. The rearward follower is in engagement with the buffing lugs 13, and the forward follower is in butting engagement withthe rearward follower 17 of the draft gear.

A yoke 24-, in loop form, incloses the buffing gear, and for convenience of manufacture and assembling this loop may comprise a U-shaped element and an end plate 25 uniting the ends. of such element, and

being secured thereto by any suitable means,

as rivets, as shown. v I

The contiguous faces of the followers 17 Y and 23 are recessed to accommodate the ends of the'yokes I5 and 24, andto provide clearance for the backward movement of the yoke 15 in bufiingr The yoke'fl liholds the elements of the bufling gear together and prevents its undue expansion. The yoke 15 performs the same office with reference to the draft gear, and consequently when the deviceiisassemble'd and at rest there'is no expansive pressure of the one gear upon the other, each, however, holding the other in place 1nco6peration with the draft and balling lugs between which as awhole the parts snugly fit.

Under draft stresses the yoke 15 and-with it the follower 17 move forward and away from the follower 23. Any suitable means may be provided for preventing the: bu'fing gear from moving forward at such time due to jarring influences. In the device as shown such movement is prevented by the engagement of the bar 26 of the'rbufing gear with the forward ends of the slotszflfl in the sills through which it passes.

Bufiing stresses are transmitted from the coupler through both sets of gears and the lugs 13 to the sills. The compression of the' forward gear in this case causes the yoke 15 to move backward a greater distance than the follower 17, and the-recesses in this follower and the follower 23 provide the necessary clearance for-the end of the yoke in this action. As the supplemental bufiing gear is compressed its yoke 24: move backward, and will be forced backward in extreme cases by contact with its forward end of the rearward end 'of the yoke 15.

1 claim as my invention 1. In a device of the'kind described, in combination, a draft gear and a buffing gear each comprising a pair of followers, such gears being arranged in tandem and having their adjacent followers normally in contact, such followers having their contiguous faces recessed, and a yoke inclosing the draft gear, its rearward end occupying the recess in the follower thereof. v

2. In a device of the kind described, in combination, a draft gear and a buffing gear each comprising a pair of followers, such 10 theadjacent end members of the tWo gears being normally in contact and each having its outer face recessed, a loop inclosing each gear and fitting loosely within the recesses of such end members, a pair of draft shoul ders, cooperating with the'forward end of the forward gear, and a pair of bufiing shoulders cooperating with the rearward end of the rearward gear.

JAMES R. CARDWELL. 

